Oh well, it’s only a bit of rain. There’s no need to worry.

Really! I’m serious!

Rain on your wedding day can be an absolutely awesome if you just take a moment to remember you cannot do anything to change it, and look on the bright side. It actually means you’re going to have a long and happy marriage – at least that’s the traditional wisdom. So take heart.

I have learned after being part of hundreds of wedding ceremonies that a bit of rain and wind (even a lot of rain and wind) can create conditions that are rare, unexpected, and extraordinary opportunitied for photographs; some funny, some dramatic, some just purely astonishing! But you really do have to embrace the weather for a decent crack at the best shots. Imagine for a moment, if you will, walking down a small gravel road, huddled under an umbrella as the rain pelts down around you. Now imagine the wind whipping that umbrella inside out, then your new hubby reaching up to correct the umbrella, or stretching over to cover you with his jacket.

The reality is that you need to be prepared for rain. Typically, a ceremony at a venue which was planned to take place outdoors is simply moved inside. But if the ceremony was to take place at a county park, a couple and their guests might have to drive a significant distance to get to the venue. Because the ceremony is taking place at a later time, the caterer’s schedule might need to be changed. Some caterers will do this; others won’t.

On your wedding invitations, you might want to include an alternate plan telling the guests where to go in the event the primary location is rained out. In the event of rain (or threat of it), and you elect to move the ceremony indoors, one of your ushers should stay behind at the original site to direct your guests tot he alternate location.

As your wedding officiant, it is my responsibility to stay positive and optimistic about your wedding celebration. The worst thing that can happen is to have an officiant who talks more about the bad weather and neglect the reason for the event, and that is to celebrate your love. So yes, if it rains, let it rain! And be very happy that there are a massive array of reflections and raindrops to catch your memories, and that your family and friends are enjoying your special day.

Some venues will tell you just about anything to land your contract, so you must be very specific about the details of your ceremony and its reception. They will show you how they set up the room, arrange the seating, where you will stand as bride and groom, etc. If you don’t like those arrangements, then change them – but you and the venue must agree to your layout BEFORE YOU SIGN.

Venues are interested in renting space and selling food. One week the “Astoria Room” hosts a wedding, the next week it hosts a baseball card collectors show. It matters not to the venue. Venues are especially interested in efficiency. After the wedding ceremony is performed in a given room, the guests are invited out into the foyer as hired help comes in, rearranges the seats and brings in tables for the reception. This must be done quickly and often involves a significant number of staff.

To defeat this problem, some venues which are hosting both the ceremony and the reception, set up that room for the reception only. The ceremony, which takes place before the reception, is put off to the side of the room as shown above. The bride and groom and their large bridal party have been placed on a long, narrow raised platform. This flattened out the bridal party making it look like a police lineup. They have been placed directly underneath the low overhang of the tented sealing. To make matters worse, the bridal party has been placed against the bright light of the late afternoon sun. This condition is known as backlighting and is murder on photography.

Be sure to get specific about your ceremony and reception room layouts. Also, you should ask if you are guaranteed to have the room you negotiated for. Some venues will change your location so that they may accommodate other receptions that will be signing on after you do. Again, get specific and get your agreement in writing.

Have Fun Planning Your Wedding

Gust Bassianotis – The Wedding Guy

Among all the many details and choices that come with planning your wedding, picking the location for the wedding ceremony probably rates pretty high for most couples.

I have three words I want to leave with you to stress the importance of one aspect of location and they are: space, space, space.
Make sure you take time to work out the details relating to the amount of space you’ll need for:

• you and you finance’
• the wedding attendants
• the wedding officiant
• any extra pieces of furniture, foliage and support items

It’s critical to take time and work out these detail with your wedding venue manager or coordinator along with the details relating to space for not only the ceremony but also your celebration party as well. You seriously cannot be too specific about the details of your ceremony and its reception. Your venue professional should take the time to show you how they set up the room, arrange the seating, where you will stand as bride and groom, the wedding party and more as required for your special day. It might sound silly, but taking a measuring tape with you to take measurements and assess the space to make sure it meets your needs wouldn’t be out of the question. Check out the property’s arrangements to make sure you have the space you’ll need to relax on your wedding day.

Wedding Ceremony and Reception Venues are interested in renting space and selling food. Events can range from Auto Shows to Bead Extravaganzas. Venues are especially interested in efficiency. After the wedding ceremony is performed in a given room, the guests are invited out into the foyer as hired help comes in, rearranges the seats and brings in tables for the reception.

Some properties offer a separate room for your wedding ceremony which can be much more relaxing as your guests move from your ceremony to the reception.

Be specific and get every question answered about your ceremony and reception room layouts. You should also ask if you are guaranteed to have the room you negotiated for. Some venues will change your location so that they may accommodate other receptions that will be signing on after you do. Again, get specific and get your agreement framed in a written contract.

Enjoy Planning Your Wedding!

Gust Bassianotis

HOW TO OBTAIN A MICHIGAN MARRIAGE LICENSE

What do I need to do to get married in Michigan?

Besides all the planning that goes into your wedding, you will also need to obtain a marriage license before your wedding ceremony. Marriage licenses are issued by the County Clerk’s office in all 83 counties in Michigan. If you or your fiancé are Michigan residents, you must apply in a county where one of you resides. For Michigan residents, the license is good throughout the state and you do not need to marry in the county that issued your license. However, if neither one of you is a Michigan resident, you should apply in the county where the wedding is taking place.

What is needed to file the application?

In order to apply for your marriage license, either you or your fiancé will need to file the application in person at a County Clerk’s office. For both parties, you need to provide proof of age and residency. For proof of age, you must present a certified birth certificate or passport. If you use a passport for this purpose, you must also give the names of both parents and the state or country where they were born. For proof of residency, you must provide a state issued driver’s license or identity card. If only one of you is present to file the application, then you must provide this information for your fiancé as well, including the actual birth certificate or passport. For their driver’s license, a photocopy of both the front and back of the card is sufficient. You must have these documents when you file the application and when you pick up the license. You will also need to give the full name, address, birth place, and social security number of both parties in order to complete the application.

How long does it take to get the license?

Michigan has a mandatory three day waiting period so you must wait at least three days after filing the application before you can pick up the license at the County Clerk’s office. For more great information please follow this link:

http://www.cityapplications.com/marriage-licenses/MI-Michigan/mrg-Michigan.html

My goal now is to assist couples and families address the issues that would otherwise spoil their wedding ahead of time to short circuit issues which seem to ruin everyone’s event. I want all of the weddings I participate in to be free of unnecessary hurdles and disappointments.

I would like to ask you a few questions for you to consider while planning your wedding. I call these questions a Wedding Wish List.

What is the one thing about your wedding that you would like your family and friends to remember most about your wedding?

Have you seen that moment in another wedding, love story, or has it been formulated in your mind with out a concrete concept?

Write a list of bullet point ideas to help you create this emotion or concrete concept on paper with the help of your fiancée.

Answer these question honestly and follow through with this process and you will begin to see what kind of wedding you really want – not the one that someone else wants for you.

If you would like my help I can show you how to plan your perfect wedding in less time, for less money, and with less stress.

Feel free to contact me at www.forevertwogether.com or www.sundayido.com

Have fun planning your wedding!

Gust Bassianotis

Besides your bridal bouquet, you’ll need (at a minimum) bouquets for you attendants; boutonnieres for your groom, groomsmen and fathers; corsages for you mothers; flowers to decorate the church; (outdoor weddings can reduce your floral budget considerably) and centerpieces for the reception tables.  Plus, you may want additional flowers for the flower girl, decorating your cake and dressing up buffet tables – the possibilities are endless.

Your can save a bundle by chosing flowers that are in season at the time of your wedding and by keeping labor to a minimum.  For example, hand tied stems are less costly than elaborately contructed bouquets, and loose cut flowers in vases are more affortble than sculpted centerpieces.

Tip: you should always get some professional advice while planning your wedding flower budget.  Below you will find a great contact.

Dee Mitchell
Principle Planner & Floral Designer
Elements of Elegance Event Planning and Floral
http://www.elementofelegance.com
Have Fun Planning Your Wedding!

Gust Bassianotis – The Wedding Guy

At your reception, go for broke to make sure that you have invited the right music team to provide your celebration music.  I personally tend to advise live musicians over Ipod or DJ recordings.  Live bands not only provide great music but also are very entertaining.  Wedding bands usally have audition mights, when you can hear them in person.  If not, make sure you request a videotape demo – do not seattle for a audio demo.  Group dynamics are very important to check out through video watch.

Your music can make or break your wedding and reception!

Budget Tip:  For a big band sound without the expense, hire a smaller band with a keyboardist who can use a synthesizer to pre-program string, horn, and percussion sections.  With these, your wedding usic will have a big sound without a big price!

Make sure you have fun planning your wedding!

Gust Bassianotis – The Wedding Guy

Religion has made marriages a way to enforce their power and keep you attending their church or place of worship and benefit from you financial giving.  This have been going on for thousands of years and continues to be a process where by the people adhere to the churches doctrine.

The RCC has stringent requirements a couple needs before being married.  Premarital counseling (pre-Cana): presentation of baptismal certificates; and presentation of certificate of annulment, if one or both of you have been married before.

The Protestant Chapels rules differ among denominations and their are over 180 different denominations world wide.  Protestants couples have some very heavy requirements.  You may need to separate for six months if you are living together in order to be approved by a specific conservative denomination.  You will need to meet with the priest of minister for sure – he/she will ask you questions about your faith and life style at which time he/she will determine if you can be married in that chapel or church.  I meet a couple recently who visited eight pastors all of which denied them marriage privileges because they were a trans racial couple.  Wow!

The Jewish Community requirements differ among sects, on the sabbath preceding his marriage the Jewish groom has an aufruf which is normally paid by the groom’s parents, of which time he is called to read from the Torah, sweets and candy are thrown on him afterwards to symbolize wishes for a sweet life.  Couples also meet with their Rabbi to discuss their marriage, and the bride may be required to visit the mikvah for a ritual cleansing.

It is a wonderful country we live in where very couple can choose what path they will take to share their vows and celebrate their love and commitment.  If you need assistance or more information regarding non-church – destination weddings in Central Florida and West Michigan please contact me today!

And do me a favor – Have fun planning your wedding!

Gust Bassianotis – The Wedding Guy

It is very easy to get so busy and caught up with everyone else’s needs during the wedding planning process that you neglect your own.

You must develop the confidence  that it is important to take care of yourself as well.”

Taking care of you means. . . . “Valuing your own needs as much as you value the needs of your family, work, and friends.

Making time to do something you enjoy doing during the wedding planning months.

Learning to say “no” when other’s request will get in the way of your own interests and plans.

Saying “this is my wedding, not my family’s or friend’s” and doing what you and your fiancée decide without being manipulated.

I want you to treat yourself with care and tenderness during your wedding planning process.

Have you noticed that your busy and overburdened with responsibilities’ of work, school, community, family, and friends?

But when it comes to yourself – you just do not have time to enjoy!

If you feel that your needs are not as important as others, your own wedding planning strategy can quickly be interrupted with failure to reach your own goals because your concentrating on everyone else’s needs.

You must make it a priority to take care of yourself and, if you do, you will feel empowered and all of the details required to plan your special day are suddenly within your reach.

Take care of yourself so when you get to your wedding day your rested and confident.  If you need help give me a call.

And do me a favor – have fun planning your wedding!

Gust Bassianotis – The Wedding Guy

If you have the habit of thinking wrongly about planning ahead can really hurt you while you are planning for your big day or maybe making the task larger than it really is or just underestimating the task at hand could be the issue.

The way you think about your wedding planning journey can make a huge difference.

It helps when you learn to trade in negative thoughts for positive ones.

That Is What Managing Your Thoughts Means . . .

Identifying those wrong or negative thoughts and replacing them with positive or helpful ideas.

Replacing those negative thoughts with positive thoughts happens when you can recognize thoughts that stand in your way of making progress.

I have learned by assisting hundreds of couples plan their wedding that every couple design their wedding with their thoughts before they actually begin planning.  Does that make sense?

Negative thoughts about the most important day of your life just seem to creep into our minds and, for others, they seem to take over their mind.  That is when it is dangerous!

I believe what we tell ourselves about our wedding celebration is what seems to happen and determines what actions you take in managing your wedding.  Here are a few things to remember and keep in mind:

1. Realize that you cannot have a “perfect wedding”.
2. Expect a “terrific” day and set reasonable expectations.
3. Remember the main goal is to get married.
4. Try to respond to issues and avoid reacting to things.  It will make a big difference as you plan for your big day.
5. Another suggestion is for you to insist that you and your fiancée’ respect each other’s uniqueness and individuality during the planning process – it sets a precedence for what follows in your marriage.

If you would like some help in planning your wedding or would like me as you wedding ceremony coach/officiant – shoot me an email or call.

Have FUN Planning Your Wedding and have a great Thanksgiving Day!

Gust Bassianotis – The Wedding Guy

You will be shocked how eager and happy they will be to help you accomplish your wedding plans.

If you are planning a non-traditional wedding you might struggle a bit with trying to get family and friends to accept what you are trying to accomplish, but it will pay off big time!

If your family rejects your plan, find other family and friends who will support you.

Sometimes those the closest to us can be  very intrusive and they misunderstand your heart and plans.

Those of us who are not accustomed to asking others to assist us may feel tempted to just go it alone.

“But it is proven that couples who incorporate friends and family in their planning experience deeper and more significant joy on their wedding day.”

You may feel overwhelmed by this process and reach a point where you need some help to stay on track.

Just email me The Wedding Guy – Gust Bassianotis at info@forevertwogether.com

There are times when it is might be easier for an outsider to help you pull this off.

Have Fun Planning Your Wedding!

Gust Bassianotis

Well asking for help does not mean that you have failed. Rather it means . . . .

You and your fiancée have decided what you want to include in your wedding and are ready to give your family and friends the opportunity to get involved.  Think of it as a gift to them – it is an honor to participate in your wedding celebration!

They will be honored to lend a helping hand.

You decide what friends and family can realistically do to help you achieve your wedding objectives and then assertively ask them to assist with that specific goal in mind.

Always remember that you must remain flexible and listen to their ideas but remain confident about your plan. Keep reminding yourselves “this is our wedding not theirs.”

Warning: Do not let them plan your wedding!  You have the plan. Remind them that you are allowing them the privilege to assist you in reaching your wedding goals.

“Do not allow anyone to take control of your wedding plans but yourself.”

Speak up if that is happening and redirect your friends and family. Friends should assist you to reach your goals, not tell you what to do!

Wedding planning is a great time to build a stronger relationship with your fiancée. Stay true to each other and let others encircle you with love and determination.

If you need my assistance please email me at info@forevertwogether.com today.

Have fun planning your wedding!

Gust Bassianotis – The Wedding Guy

The  most important reason to hire a wedding coach is to help you to save money, time, and assist you to get to the alter with more energy and less stress.  Since they deal with the best professionals in the wedding industry they can point you to the best buys.

Some coaches charge a flat rate for their services – others a specific percentage of your entire budget.  If hiring a coach does not fit into your wedding budget consider hiring him/her for your wedding day to manage all of your wedding ceremony details.  You will have a trained professional administrating all of your wedding details on your wedding day.  That is priceless!

Have Fun Planning Your Wedding.

Gust Bassianotis – The Wedding Guy

Most likely, you will not be the only one producing the list.  Your fiancées family will most likely be involved close family members, and then you have other interested people throwing names into the invitation “pot”.  This planning step can be rather stressful that is why I am addressing this planning step with a few suggestions to reduce your anxiety.

• Have everyone involved in the invitation listing process sit down and make a list of names who they would like to see invited to your wedding.  Make sure they list the names in ranking order.
• Following the invitation listing process compare all lists and erase all duplicate names.
• Add up all of the names on your invitation list that were not duplicates and compare the numbers with your budget percentages.
• If you are over budget do not reason an increase in your budget but rather a way to erase more names.  This step is so critical in order for you to stay committed to working within your financial margins.  If you fiancées parents insist on inviting extra’s have them cough up the extra funds.

Finally, do not allow anyone pressure you into inviting anyone you do not want to invite.  Your wedding is Your wedding!

Have fun planning your wedding.

Gust Bassianotis – The Wedding Guy

P.S. I am a wedding officiant and coach and would be honored to be considered as your wedding official and I would enjoy assisting you plan your wedding.  You can call or email me your requests and questions.

Honeymoon – 14.5 percent

Reception – 39 percent

Photography/Videography – 10 percent

Invitations – 2 percent

Music – 5 percent

Engagement/Wedding Rings – 10 percent

Bridal Wear/Groom Wear – 7 percent

Officiant/Documents – 5 percent

Gifts/Limo/Miscellaneous – 5 percent

Let me know what your think of the percentages that I came up with in this blog and be sure to send me any questions or concerns.

Have Fun Planning Your Wedding!

Gust Bassianotis – The Wedding Guy

The took a ride on the water slide and went sknorkeling after No. 80 at Knuckle Reef, part of the Great Barrier Reef.  On Monday they said; “I do” for the 84th time at an Aboriginal Wedding complete with grass skirts and cockatoo feathers in Tjapulkai Cultural Park in Cairns.

Now they are planning another ceremony in a radio station – they must love wedding planning like I do.  Of course I enjoy coaching other couples getting married and love watching people in love celebrate with family and friends.

Have Fun Planning Your Wedding!

Gust Bassianotis – The Wedding Guy

They will be honored to lend a helping hand.

You decide what friends and family can realistically do to help you achieve your wedding objectives and then assertively ask them to assist with that specific goal in mind.

Always remember that you must remain flexible and listen to their ideas but remain confident about your plan.

Warning: Do not let them plan your wedding!  You have the plan. Remind them that you are allowing them the privilege to assist you in reaching your wedding goals.

“Do not allow anyone to take control of your wedding plans but yourself.”

peak up if that is happening and redirect your friends and family.

Friends assist you to reach your goals, not tell you what to do!

Wedding planning is a great time to build a stronger relationship with your fiancée. Stay true to each other and let others encircle you with love and determination.

Gust Bassianotis – The Wedding Guy

From the moment you announce your engagement you will be bombarded with everyone’s ideas and suggestions.

Following your engagement, sit down with you fiancée and record your own dreams and personal ideas and interests.  Then use this first draft of ideas to start your wedding planning journey.

In this American Wedding World people love planning everyone else’s wedding and everyone suddenly becomes an expert.  You know what I mean.  It is as if people are just waiting for the opportunity to tell you what to do and what not to do.  It is just that way!

“Great Wedding Plans Shape Great Weddings!”

To Prepare One ’s Self means. . . .

You and your fiancée must set boundaries and objectives to attain your wedding style – not someone else’s.

Warning: if you are manipulated one time to change your plan you will begin losing control of your dreams.

People will try to use guilt, shame and/or experiential reasoning to influence you into their direction.

Please take a deep breath during those moments and with a loving and caring spirit just say “no”.

You know that your family and friends will respect your certainty and confidence.

Deciding what you want to achieve and set realistic, attainable wedding objectives is all you need to do to get started on the right foot.

Be sure to listen to others’ suggestions, but do not copy their style and values.

“Your wedding must reflect your personalities and beauty.”

Finding out what works for you such as using a Wedding Planner with a specific time line and clear descriptions of the steps you will need to take in order to complete you tasks.

Make sure that you do not skip steps or ignore steps which seem unimportant to you.  Stick with a sequential plan of operation and you will be much happier will your plan for your wedding.

Always expect the unexpected recognizing potential moments that will challenge your actions.  When you feel good and strong, use that time to advance your planning and wedding schedule.

“Great wedding plans shape good decisions.  That is why good planning helps to make wedding dreams come true!”

PREPARING YOURSELF WORKS

Some people make lists and think ahead.  Others tackle tasks as they come along only to getting things done when they have a dead line.

“When you start planning your wedding without a specific plan, you can be influenced by others and your environment, rather than making your own choices.”

You might begin to notice that family and friends are planning your wedding rather than you and your fiancée.

You could feel like you are running around aimlessly and becoming easily frustrated, possibly making wrong choices and decisions.

You might also feel as if you have no sense of accomplishment or way to measure your wedding plan successes.

And finally, when you proceed with a wedding plan without the right preparation, you are at risk of buying something you do not need or cannot afford.

“Spending what you do not have can really be emotionally draining.”

You have great potential and talent to make your wedding one that is planned intentionally and, you can have fun, while avoiding the dangers and pitfalls that can distract your attention.

If you need a coach to assist you in your wedding journey please contact me The Wedding Guy.

The GoPro HD Hero 960 recorder is a great camera which takes photos at the rate of 30 frames a second.  It weights less than 6 ounces and is only 2 inches square and has a great lens.  Another nice camera is the Loocie priced at around $199 and is built into a Bluetooth headset that streams images wirelessly to phones using a free Looxcie application.  From the camera your wedding clips can go directly into your email and be viewed instanly.

After you wedding celebration you can take the camera with you on your honeymoon and use it for years to come.

Just a smart suggestion from the Wedding Guy – Gust Bassianotis

If you have used one of these products or one like them please leave a suggestion or comment.  I would like to hear from you.

Another reason for my prediction for a strong wedding future is because of the way that vendors and venues are willing to negotiate pricing and services.  This is an excellent time to put your budget on paper and begin contacting favored locations and professionals to explore the possibilities of planning your wedding.

Finally, I know that we have a great future and will enjoy serving each and everyone of you as you have fun planning your wedding!

The Wedding Guy – Gust Bassianotis